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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25984759">Lost Light</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Holly_Pocket/pseuds/Holly_Pocket'>Holly_Pocket</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lost Light [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fairy Tail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:54:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,360</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25984759</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Holly_Pocket/pseuds/Holly_Pocket</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The unthinkable happens.<br/>The Light of Fairy Tail is gone. A group of Mages cannot accept this. What will they learn on their journey to find, the Lost Light.<br/>I suck at summaries.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lost Light [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1885936</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I do not own Fairy Tail.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was unbelievable. The entire Guild sat silent after Lisanna broke down into sobs. Natsu gathered the crying silverette into his arms. Holding her tight he whispered in her ear “I did not realize you could cry on command.”</p>
<p>Lis covered her giggle with a loud sniffle.</p>
<p>Natsu led her out of the abnormally quiet building, wordlessly telling Mirajane he would take the girl home.</p>
<p>“What do we do?” Gray suddenly burst out. “We have to go back there, right? Try to find her, any part of her… right?” He was frantic. She could not be gone. She was young and smart and strong. How could she just not be anymore?</p>
<p>Erza put her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort the Ice Make Mage. “We could try, but from what Lisanna said it sounds like there was nothing left.” Erza had to clear her throat before continuing. “Master, what do you think?”</p>
<p>Master Macarov looked up from his untouched beer. “We will send volunteers to go through the ruins and check for any sign of our guild mate.” He wiped his eyes then looked around the room. “Does anyone volunteer for this heart wrenching mission/undertaking?” He waited patiently for a response.</p>
<p>For a while it seemed no one would speak up. Everyone was afraid of letting down the rest of the Guild and so hesitated to take on this responsibility.</p>
<p>Gajeel and Laxus shared a look. They both knew that a Dragon Slayer would be the best bet at finding any trace of their golden haired guild mate. Both nodded, deciding. Bickslow, Evergreen, and Freed, who all witnessed the exchange, shared a look and nod or their own. They knew that where Laxus went they went, and they were more than willing.</p>
<p>Gajeel stood first. “I’ll go. Our best chance at finding something is a Dragon Slayer anyway.”</p>
<p>Laxus stood “we will find her.” He wasn’t surprised when his team stood before he had even finished speaking.</p>
<p>“We will accompany Laxus-Sama and Gajeel on this mission and provide whatever support and or assistance they may need.” Freed’s proper tone hid his internal distress.</p>
<p>Master Macarov was nodding his head, pride for the 5 standing mages making his heart swell. “I think this will do quite nicely. Thank you.” His eyes glistened as the group moved to leave the guild hall. “Please keep us apprised of the situation. Any little detail could give us a modicum of relief.”</p>
<p>Laxus gave a brief nod of ascent before leading the others out the doors, leaving them to slam behind them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>@#@</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As soon as they were out of sight and earshot Lisanna straightened and wiped away her fake tears.</p>
<p>“They bought it right?” Natsu questioned.</p>
<p>Lisanna answered without hesitation and a wave of her hand, “of course. It probably would have been better with some proof, but the fire covered for that.” She smiled at her soon to be mate before grabbing his hand and pulling him along.</p>
<p>“Where are you taking us Lis?” Natsu asked laughing, letting her lead him.</p>
<p>She turned and winked at him. “I want to celebrate. And then after we mate I want to do it again but in her bed.” Facing forward again she continued, “we are finally free of that judgmental bitch, and since she has been keeping us apart I think it is quite fitting that we fuck in that stuck up cunts bed.”</p>
<p>Natsu looked unsure, “do you really think that is a good idea? I mean, what if someone from the guild goes there for something?”</p>
<p>“If that happens,” Lisanna started, “then we just act like the grieving team mates they all believe us to be.” Natsu did not look convinced. “It’s really not that complicated Natsu.” She was a little fed up with his innocent act.</p>
<p>Natsu finally nodded slowly, “you’re right Lis, let’s go.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>@#@</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once out of the guild hall Laxus suggested that they each go home to pack and meet at Lucy’s place in a half hour. Everyone readily agreed and split up.</p>
<p>Gray, having slipped out behind the other group headed straight for Lucy’s apartment. He felt the need to be close to her in any way he could. He was also feeling guilty for fighting with her before she left with Lisanna on a mission, a mission she hadn’t come back from.</p>
<p>Walking around her apartment reminded Gray of all the good times he had spent with the bubbly blonde and felt the need to go find her himself. He pushed the feeling down though, he knew he was too emotional about the whole thing. No, he would trust Master’s decision and let Laxus and the others go see what they could find. Honestly he was thankful that Gajeel was going to be with them. Not that he did not trust Laxus he did, but he knew Gajeel had gotten especially close to Lucy over the last couple of years and knew the Dragon Slayer would run down every possible lead.</p>
<p>He did not realize how long he had been sitting staring at a picture of him and Lucy, lost in his thoughts, until he heard voices outside her front door.</p>
<p>“Do we break it down?</p>
<p>He got up and walked to the door, pulling it pen to shocked faces. “No need. Even if I wasn't here you would have been able to get in. Lucy stopped locking her door years ago.” He sighed, stepping back to allow them in. “She realized it was futile when we all just broke in all the time anyway. She had to replace the door 3 times the year before she stopped locking it because Erza kept breaking it trying to get in.” He shook his head, “thinking back on it we really were not very good friends to her, even though she was all of ours best friend.”</p>
<p>“Why are you here Gray?” Laxus got right to the point.</p>
<p>Gray smiled sadly, “I wanted to be close to her, even just this little bit. She was always like a little sister to me. My always there, kind of annoying but I love her and would easily kill for her, little sister.”</p>
<p>Gajeel nodded at the Ice Make Mage before wandering further into the one room apartment.</p>
<p>Laxus seemed to accept this too and followed the younger Slayer in looking around Lucy’s, not so private, private space.</p>
<p>Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen settled on Lucy’s pink couch as Gray settled back in her favorite chair.</p>
<p>“What did you think of Lisanna’s recounting of what happened?” Freed asked bluntly. Honestly the youngest Strauss sibling’s story had not set well with him. Something seemed off about it all.</p>
<p>Gray thought back over the tale Lis had told the guild.</p>
<p>He tried to picture how it would have looked based on what she had said.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I do not own Fairy Tail.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"><span>The train ride to Wisteria had taken most of a day and Lisanna knew if she was tired then Lucy must be as well. Despite their exhaustion Lucy suggested that they go see the Mayor of the little town before finding a place to stay for the rest of the mission. Lisanna agreed and they set off. The Mayor</span>’s office had been easy to find, in such a small town it shared space with the Post Office and Jail. It was situated right in the middle of a stretch of buildings along the town’s main road. Entering the building they were a little surprised to find that not only was it a shared building but that the Mayor was the local law, deputized by the Rune Knights, and the Post Master, which was his job before he became Mayor.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Hello, we are mages with Fairy Tail. We are looking for Mayor Randall.” Lucy’s voice was as bright and friendly as the smile on her face.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“I’m Mayor Randall,” a surprisingly young man stated, standing from behind a high counter top. “You must be the ones they sent to help with our Dark Guild problem.” He eyed them curiously, “but will you actually be able to help?” Taking in the change in the blonde's no longer smiling face he back tracked. “I mean no offense. It is just that you both seem very young.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna stepped in, “to be fair Sir, you seem quite young yourself.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Yes, yes, I suppose you are right,” he nodded smiling at the silverette. “Then let me explain about what has been occurring in our sleepy little town.” He motioned them over to a small sitting area. “Over the last 6 months we have noticed an increase in missing women from town. Normally this would not be a big issue, as young people are always leaving our town once they reach their majority. The women that have been going missing are not young, unattached girls though. They are women with husbands and families. Once we realized this, about 2 months ago, we started looking into the women more closely and about a month ago we came to a worrisome realization; all the women who are currently missing were pregnant when they were taken.” He stopped to let the girls take in all he had said. “Now I will be the first to admit that there is nothing special about our town. Some of the townsfolk have a small almost negligible, amount of magic, but none of them are mages by any stretch of the word.” He paused to breath.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The man was talking a mile a minute, not letting either girl get a word in, so when he stopped for breath Lucy tried to ask a question. “Are…”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Mayor Randall interrupted her, “some of the women taken have magic but not all of them do. Also some of the fathers have magic but, again, not all of them do. To be honest we are all horrified by what they could possibly want with a bunch of pregnant women.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">This time it was Lisanna who tried. “Have…”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">And again Mayor Randall interrupted, “we have not found any bodies or body parts anywhere, and there has not been an uptick in wild animal sightings. We just don’t know what could be happening to those poor women.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy tried again to ask a question and this time she was successful. “What do you know of the Dark Guild you suspect of these kidnappings?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Mayor Randall looked a bit ashamed “the thing with that is, we just kind of assumed it was a Dark Guild. We don’t have any actual proof, but no one knows how the women went missing. No one saw or heard anything. It seemed highly suspicious. “The man grimaced at the admittance. “For example, in one case the family was sitting down to dinner and the woman went to the kitchen for something. When she did not return right away her husband went after her. He found the back door open and his wife missing.” He looked at the two mages pleadingly, “it has to be a Dark Guild, right? I mean how else could they have been taken so quickly and quietly?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna slowly nodded her head. “Yes, it does seem like a Dark Guild is the most likely suspect.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“As someone who has a great deal of experience with kidnappings I have to say that it is not impossible for 2 or 3 men or women to kidnap a person in under a minute without giving away any sign it was happening.” Lucy refused to be embarrassed that she had this knowledge.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The Mayor and Lisanna both stared at Lucy for a hot minute. Lisanna finally spoke, breaking the silence, “we would like to see as many of the disappearance locations as possible.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Of course.” The Mayor passed over a sheet of paper. “This is the mist of missing women as well as the date and location of where each went missing.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy stood, Lisanna right behind her, and shook Mayor Randall’s hand. “We will go over everything and let you know what we find.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Thank you. I feel much better knowing someone is doing something to help up.” Mayor Randall led them to the door. “You can find lodging next door, they are expecting you.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The women said their farewells and walked next door.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">@#@</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Hello,” Lucy brightly greeted the person at the desk in the entrance. “We will be needing a single room with two double beds please.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The lady at the desk smiled, “of course. I’m Suzie. You are the mages that are going to find our missing women right?” She opened a book and held out a pen, “please sign in here.” She pointed then turned to grab a key off the wall. “My sister went missing from right here 2 months ago. I hope you can find her soon, she is due in 3 months and it would be nice if she could be home to have the baby.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Is the Inn owned by her husband? Can we talk to him?” Lisanna asked.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Suzie shook her head, “No. It was our parents place and when they passed they left it to the two of us to run. Our town is one of those places that people stop in for the night before going on their way. Being on the border with Bosco we get a lot of Boscan men in here. They have quite the healthy sexual appetite you know.” Suzie shrugged,” accidents can sometimes happen, no one here judges.” She passed Lisanna the key. “Top of the stairs, second door on the left.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Thank you. We may have questions for you later, if that is alright?” Lucy inquired.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Suzie nodded, “of course, anything I can do to help you find my sister and the others. If I’m not here at the front desk I am usually in the kitchen.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Retreating to their room the girls relaxed for the night. The coming days, they knew, would be busy and stressful.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The rest of the week found the two going over each place that a woman disappeared from. They talked to nearly everyone in town. They had started by just talking to the families and people directly connected to each woman but soon realized that in a town as small as Wisteria was everyone was connected to everyone else in some way. No one knew how the kidnappings had happened. No one saw or heard anything. The Dark Guild theory was quite popular amongst the townspeople.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">In all honesty there were not really getting anywhere. It had been a month since the last kidnapping and all the other scenes were months old and had been trampled by the towns daily living. There were no clues, no real suspects, and Lucy and Lisanna were losing hope in figuring anything out. Just when they were ready to give up another kidnapping occurred, only this time it did not go unnoticed.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna had gone out for a walk and as she was turning a corner she caught sight of a woman walking towards the trees bordering this side of town. She was about to call out to her when she realized how eerily quiet it was. She immediately started following the woman. When she reached the tree line she saw two men with the woman between them.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">One of the men looked up and saw her. “Guild Mage” he hissed.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna slipped one hand into her pocket and touched the lacrima com there, sending a small burst of magic into it to call Lucy. “What are you guys doing out in the woods with one of the towns women?” she asked conversationally, trying to distract them.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“I do not think that is any of your business,” replied the one that had spotted her first.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Moving closer Lisanna noticed he was shorter than the other man. They both had dark hair and eyes, but shorty was clean shaven while his partner had a full beard and mustache. “Is it because you were intending to kidnap her?” she questioned. “How do you know they are pregnant? I mean some might have been obvious, but this girl does not look pregnant. In fact I bet if you asked her she would tell you that she was not pregnant.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Shorty seemed to hesitate. Looking at Beardy he asked, “are you sure about her?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Beardy looked offended. “Of course I’m sure,” he whisper yelled. “Are you really going to start questioning me now? All because of some stupid, interfering Guild Mage?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Shorty was shaking his head adamantly, “no of course not. It’s just that…”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“It’s just what?” this time he did yell, breaking whatever the spell was that had been placed on their victim.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Startled, the woman looked between the two men then let out an eardrum piercing shriek.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Shorty cringed and covered his ears while beardy cursed. The woman ran towards Lisanna and the break in the trees they had all so recently come through. As the woman reached her Lisanna told her to keep going and not to stop until she got home. The woman did not notice when she passed Lucy running towards where she had just run from. Just like Lisanna told her, she did not stop until she was locked in her house.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy reached them just in time to see Beardy attack Lisanna. Shorty was doubled over, hands over his ears, blood running from between his fingers. She cracked her whip and called out Virgo.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Punishment Princess?” Virgo greeted.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Not right now,” Lucy replied. “We are going to need magic canceling rope to tie these guys up with.” Lucy was trying to watch both Virgo, as she approached the man doubled over, and Lisanna’s fight, to be ready if the other girl needed any help.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Virgo tied up Shorty without incident and was finished just as Lisanna pinned Beardy to the ground. Virgo moved to tie him up as well.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“What Dark Guild are you guys from?” Lisanna asked after they were propped up against a tree.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“What is it about Guild Mages that makes them think all mages are in a Guild?” Beardy sneered. “Some of us do not like organized groups, legal or otherwise.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna rolled her eyes. “So you are not part of a Guild, dark or legal. Why were you kidnapping pregnant women from this town?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Slave traders pay big money for fertile women,” Beardy spoke truthfully. “If they are pregnant when I sell them it is the easiest way to prove fertility.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna scoffed, “so Guilds are organized groups, but slave traders are not? What are they then?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Despicable,” Lucy mumbled under her breath. “What happens to the babies?” Lucy asked, not sure she really wanted to know the answer but needing it none-the-less.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Joya likes to buy girls, sometimes boys. Pergrande will often buy the boys too. Others are just killed, they are too much hassle a lot of times. All that crying and the smell, I do not know how anyone can stand it. If they get lucky wealthy childless couples will “adopt” them.” Beardy shrugged, “what do I care? I get paid no matter what.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy lost her temper at his answer, how could he be so callous. She could not stop herself from unleashing a Lucy Kick to his head.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Virgo checked him for signs of life, knowing her Princess would feel guilty if she had killed him, even though he was a horrible human being. “He still lives Princess. Would you like me to rectify that situation?” She knew the answer but still had to ask.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy let out a breath. “No, thank you Virgo. You may go now.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Virgo bowed then left in a burst of light.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Sorry I lost my temper,” Lucy apologized. “I know we still need information from them.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna looked at her sympathetically. “It’s okay. I get it. That man was completely horrid.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy sighed, “maybe the other one can help us.” She turned to the man crumpled up and holding his head.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Hey, you, where are the women you have been kidnapping?” Lisanna was not yelling but her voice for sure was not soft.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The man whimpered, “please. It is too loud.” His voice was little more than a whisper.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The girls looked at each other. “What is too loud?” Lucy asked, her voice much softer than Lisanna’s had been.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Everything.” He held his head tighter. “Please, make it stop.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“We can make it stop,” Lisanna stated. Her voice, halfway to a whisper, made the man flinch.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy, lowering her voice so it was barely even a whisper, added, “but you have to tell us where the women you took are.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The man’s nod was barely perceptible. “In a cave. Just on the other side of the border in Bosco.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna delivered on her promise of making it all stop with a swift hit to the man’s head, knocking him unconscious. “So who do we call? The Boscan Holy Knights or Fiore’s beloved Rutabagas?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy could not help the giggle at the nickname Fairy Tail often used to refer to the Rune Knights of Fiore then she sighed. She was sure this was about to get annoying. “Unfortunately both.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">They called the Rune Knights to come pick up the criminal mages and they called the Holy Knights to help with recovering the kidnapped women. Both groups were informed they would be waiting on the Fiore side of the bored, without a work or vacation permit the Guild Mages had no rights to go into Bosco. Lucy had Taurus carry the two unconscious men to the bored near where Grandpa Crux had said there were a cluster of several caves. The women settled in to wait for the knights. Both women were quiet, lost in their own thoughts. Lisanna had hoped to use this mission to talk to Lucy about a number of things, the rumors she heard at the Guild, her feelings for Natsu, why Lucy did not like her. Lucy’s apparent dislike of her was something that worried her. She knew Natsu was close to Lucy and that meant that Lisanna and Lucy would be spending more time together. It would be easier if Lucy liked and got along with her. Lisanna thought maybe it was that Lucy did have feelings for Natsu and felt that Lisanna was trying to steal him from her, but she could not help that, Natsu was meant to be with her. He had told her before they had left on this mission that she was his mate and that when she got home they could go through the mating. This mission was so important for them all to have a happy future.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna wanted to be able to talk to Lucy about everything that was bugging her. She wanted to explain about Natsu and hope the other girl would back off and let the two of them be happy together. She was struggling with bringing any of those topics up however. This mission had taken far longer than Lisanna had ever imagined and it never seemed like the right time to bring up her own problems when so many innocent women were missing. Lisanna finally decided that she would wait until the mission was finished and then on the trip home try talking to Lucy.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Are you the Fairy Tail mages?” a gruff voice came out of the darkness.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Both Lucy and Lisanna turned to look over the border into Bosco. “Yes that is us. I am Lucy and this is Lisanna.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">As they exchanged greetings the Rune Knights arrived to take custody of the criminal mages. “Do you know what kind of magics they use?” one asked.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“We are pretty sure the shorter, clean shaved one uses some kind of sound magic.” Lisanna shrugged. “The bearded one somehow knew all the women they abducted were pregnant but we do not know anything beyond that.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The man bowed, “thank you for your service. Have a nice night.” He retreated back into the trees, following the Knights who had already taken the still unconscious criminals.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Once he was out of sight Lucy and Lisanna shared a look. “Useless rutabagas.” They smirked at each other before they were brought back to what was happening.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">One of the Holy Knights cleared his throat while another whispered, “rutabagas?” to one of his friends.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“If you could just tell us were the girls are being held we can retrieve them and ensure they are well.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy was not having any of that. “Those women are citizens of Fiore. They have been kidnapped; they are pregnant and are under a lot of stress. Do you really think that the best thing for them is to be faced with more strange men? Even if you are dressed in shiny armor.” Lucy shook her head, ignoring their shocked expressions. “No, they are going to need comforting faces. Tell me, what is better than two obviously Fioran blonde women?” Lucy nodded, “right. Then it is settled. We will follow behind a couple of you with the others following behind us. We were told that the women were being held in a cave just over the border, so I imagine it is quite close.” Lucy finished her little speech and stepped over into Bosco. She smiled and turned to Lisanna, “I have always wanted to visit Bosco.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna could not help but chuckle at the other girl’s antics.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“She would be very popular here,” one Holy Knight whispered to another.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The other scoffed, “yeah and not just for her obvious physical features, pale skin, blonde hair, big boobs. Girl has got one hell of a mouth on her.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“I am a woman, not a girl,” Lucy called back without turning.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The Holy Knights just grinned at each other and fell in behind the two women.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy had been right, the cave was close and it did not take long to find the missing women. They were huddled together at the back of a cage, trying to stay warm.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Virgo came out on her own power with an armful of blankets. “Punishment Princess?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy smiled at her friend, “maybe later. Thanks Virgo.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Virgo began distributing the blankets to the women, letting the Holy Knights take some to help.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Some of the women visibly shrunk back from the men and they realized the tiny blonde bombshell had been right. If they had come in without the female mages they would have had a real hard time getting this group of women to trust them.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy and Lisanna were helping the women out of the cave and reassuring them that they were safe. “If you follow the trail of men in armor you will cross over the border back into Fiore. From there we will get you all home safe,” Lucy assured the women.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">It was morning before all the women were returned to their families. Finally Lucy and Lisanna could fall into their comfortable beds. Exhausted, neither girl bothered with a shower, a change of clothes, or even closing the blinds. Both were asleep before their heads hit their pillows.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The next morning Lisanna woke feeling dirty and sore. She climbed out of bed just as Lucy was stirring. She hurried through a shower, eager to head home and knowing that Lucy must want a shower as bad as she had. Lisanna also found that she was quite ravenous then she realized it had been most of a day since she ate last having skipped dinner in favor of the walk that had led to a rescue.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">@#@</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Their first stop after breakfast, where the discovered that they had slept an entire day away, was the Mayor’s office for payment. Mayor Randall had been so grateful when he got the news, the previous day, that all of the towns missing women had been returned but he had not wanted to interrupt their rest, they deserved their sleep. When they finally showed up in his office however he could hardly contain himself. “Thank you, thank you, oh thank you,” he gushed. “You do not know how much this means to us.” He moved as if to embrace the two women, but was distracted when Lucy spoke.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Actually, we probably can.” Lucy shrugged with a grin, “it is never boring at Fairy Tail.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The Mayor smiled at them and lifted two bags onto his desk. “To show our extreme appreciation for all your hard work we doubled the reward amount.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Thank you,” Lucy said simply.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“That was not necessary,” Lisanna added, “we were only doing our job.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">After saying their goodbyes the two girls quickly made their way to the train station, but luck was not on their side. As they arrived they could see a train leaving the station.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Drat,” Lisanna stomped her foot. “What do we do now?” she whined.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“We check the time for the next train,” Lucy said rationally. Walking over to the ticket counter she put on a bright smile. “Hello. When does the train to Magnolia leave?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Magnolia?” the clerk confirmed. “That was it. Next one is tomorrow at 11 am.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy felt her jaw drop a little, “you mean there is only one train to Magnolia a day?” The clerk nodded. Looking at Lisanna then back she asked, “when does the next train leave? And where is it going?” Lucy tried to be hopeful, but she was not holding her breath for a good result.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The clerk managed to look annoyed at actually having to do his job and answer questions. “The next train leaves at half past noon for Willows Town.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Where is Willows Town?” Lucy asked, curious if it was another little out of the way town since she had never heard of it.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The clerk sighed, “it is about halfway between Clover Town and Cait Shelter.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna turned to Lucy, “we could get off at clover Town and grab a train to Magnolia from there.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“It is an express train, goes straight through to Willows Town. No stops,” the clerk supplied picking up his magazine. “It is also the last train of the day,” he added as an afterthought.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy and Lisanna stepped away from the counter to talk. “So our choices are,” Lucy summarized. “One, go back to Town and catch the train to Magnolia tomorrow. Two, take the train to Willows Town and hope that they have a train to Magnolia or Clovers Town. Three, we could walk to Clovers Town.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna shook her head, “No way, I cannot walk to Clovers Town. Do you even know how far away that is?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“It is about 10 or 11 miles from here,” the clerk informed them, not so helpfully. “It is only about 5 or 6 miles from Clovers Town to Willows Town though.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy latched on to that. “So if we needed to we could easily walk from Willows Town to Clovers Town with plenty of time to catch a train to Magnolia.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lisanna thought for minute before nodding. “Fine, let’s do it.” She turned to the clerk, “two tickets to Willows Town.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Having got their tickets the girls found a nice shady spot settled in for the hour long wait for the train. While Lisanna tried to nap Lucy called out Plue to play. Watching the little snowman shaped dog dance around always raised Lucy’s mood and made her laugh. When the train pulled in to the station Lucy gently shook Lisanna awake and sent Plue back to the Spirit Realm. It was easy to find seats on the mostly empty train and once settled both drifted off to sleep.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Getting off the train in Willows Town the girls stretched. Lisanna went to ask directions to Clover Town and when she returned she had a small basket.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Some food and drinks,” she explained at Lucy’s pointed look. “They said that Clover Town is about 2 hours that way,” she pointed. “They also said we could follow the tracks basically the whole way.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">They set off at a quick pace that soon slowed into something more sustainable.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“This is boring,” Lucy complained.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">They had been walking for about an hour. Each carried a half full bottle of water, Lucy had asked Virgo to hold the basket for them.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Looking around Lisanna decided this was as good a place as any to stop and rest. They had wandered a little ways away from the train tracks and were surrounded by woodland. “Why don’t we stop here to rest and eat?” she suggested. “There is something I would really like to talk to you about Lucy,” she added.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy glanced at the other girl then down at the ground. “Yeah, okay.” She summoned Virgo and was handed the basket and a blanket, the spirit disappearing immediately after.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">They spread the blanket over a large flat rock that was half in shade before settling down and dividing up the food. They ate for a while in silence before Lucy asked, “what did you want to talk to me about?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“It is about Natsu.” Lisanna held up a hand when Lucy would have interrupted. “Please let me say what I need to say first.” Lucy nodded at Lisanna to continue. “I love Natsu. I always have and I always will. I know what everyone thinks of him but I think it is all just part of his charm. Natsu says that you are just friends, but I have heard the rumors about the two of you. I also know that you say the same thing Natsu says, that you are just friends, but you see he does not do certain things with anyone else. He is always going to your house and sleeping in your bed, with you in it. That is not ‘just friend’ behavior. I am sure you can see why I am concerned. You would feel the same way if you were in my shoes, yes?” Lisanna breathed a heavy sigh, as if saying all that had been hard for her. “What I need from you is not words, it is action. Do not just say that he is just a friend, you need to act like he is just a friend.” She looked Lucy dead in the eye. “I need you to back off a little. Give me and Natsu a chance to get back to how we were before.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy was about to respond when they were attacked. Looking over to where the attack came from both girls saw three people they assumed were Mages.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“Aww, well this is such a cute scene,” one sneered at them. “Out on a date are we? But aren’t you two Fairies a little far from home?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">He launched another attack but Lucy was ready this time and got her and Lisanna out of the way. “Why are you attacking us?” Lisanna asked while she got back on her feet.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“You are in our territory little Fairy,” another practically spat. “We do not like Fairies, so that is reason enough for us.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The third spoke then, “can we stop talking and kill them already?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“If you fight us, you will lose,” Lucy warned.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">The third Mage hit her with a glancing blow that knocked Lucy to the side. “I would not be so sure if I were you.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy stood and brushed herself off. “Fine, but just remember that I warned you this would happen.” She put a hand on her keys, “Virgo, Loke, Taurus,” she called. There were three bursts of light before three Celestial Spirits could be seen, ready to engage.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy’s Spirits wait for her signal before they split up to attack. Virgo weakened the integrity of the ground underneath the enemy Mages feet while Loke went to help Lisanna, who was being attacked by two Mages, and not doing so well. The third Mage had engaged Lucy and she was holding her own against the man.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Taurus hung back, waiting for the right moment to spring the trap. It never came though, because suddenly he was attacked from behind and he was sent back to the Celestial Realm with a, “sorrry Miss Lucy.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Loke turned at Taurus’s unplanned departure to see a forth Mage, fists ablaze, running at Lucy. He abandoned Lisanna to intercept the Mage with his own fist lighting up. He barely managed to catch the Fire Mage around the waist and tackle him to the ground, throwing a punch at the man’s head. It was enough to allow Lucy to knock her opponent out and attempt to spring the trap herself to catch the other two.</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy tried to keep the other mages at a distance with well-placed snaps of her whip after Lisanna fell to a particularly good strike but the other Mages were faster than she had expected. Suddenly she felt Loke return to the Celestial Realm and knew things were about to get a lot more difficult. Virgo was sent back last and Lucy was on her own facing an angry Fire Mage and Earth Make Mage. “What Dark Guild are you a part of?”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">“It does not matter,” the Fire Mage taunted, “you will not be around to tell anyone about us.”</p>
<p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal">Lucy stepped to the side then realized her mistake an instant before the ground crumbled beneath her. She hit the bottom of the hole Virgo had created hard and all the air was forced out of her lungs. She looked up, as a shadow passed over her, to see the Fire Mage standing at the edge of the deep crater leaning back slightly, hands held out in front of him. “No,” she mouthed silently shaking her head eyes wide with fear. Then he pushed his hands out towards her and released his built up fire right at her. There was unbearable heat and pain for a split moment and then blissful darkness.</p>

<p></p><div>
  <p>By the time Lisanna came to she was alone. The Dark Mages having left her for dead. There was no sign of the Mages. More importantly there was no sign of Lucy. There was a still smoldering crater that had Lisanna scrambling to her feet and running for Clovers Town. She could not believe it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Lucy was dead.</p>
</div><p class="yiv8786378355ydp6f6a375dMsoNormal"> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This story is finished, I have all the chapters typed and edited (it took a long while to do all that and it only took a month to write the story, but I hand write everything first.) Anyway that is part of why none of my other stuff has been updated, really sorry about that, I will get back to them eventually. So basically I am just posting chapters randomly/when I'm bored/I can't stand it any longer. Sorry not sorry.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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